Iran tested its first home-made Active Protection System (APS) mounted on Zolfaqar tanks

On last wednesday, the Iranian Army tested its first home-made Active Protection System (APS) mounted on Zolfaqar tanks An APS is a system (usually for a military application) designed to prevent line-of-sight guided anti-tank missiles/projectiles from acquiring and/or destroying a target using radars. The home-made APS has been produced and tested based on the pulse-doppler radar system and its weapon is also of firewall type.

Iranian Zolfaqar tank

The engineering sample of the APS has been built based on the phased-array radar system and the primary tests have been carried out successfully. The system can be mounted on all armored vehicles and tanks. Both of the APSs which are based on the pulse-doppler radar and phased-array radar systems are equipped with four arms systems and can cover a full circle (360 degrees) of sight.

In recent years, Iran has made great achievements in its defense sector and attained self-sufficiency in producing essential military equipment and systems. Iranian officials have always stressed that the country's military and arms programs serve defensive purposes and should not be perceived as a threat to any other country.

The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) deployed its Ghadir phased-array radar system in Southern Iran in July. The Ghadir radar system is capable of discovering and tracking planes from a 600-kilometer and Ballistic missiles from a 1,100-kilometer distance and an altitude of 100 kilometers.

The Ghadir radar system was unveiled for the first time in Garmsar radar site in Semnan province, Northern Iran last year.

The radar system is equipped with over 100 antennas which are capable of 360 degrees rotation. The phased-array Ghadir radar system can be used in all types of electronic warfare and in all climatic conditions.

In May 2012, IRGC Aerospace Commander Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh said Iran is mass-producing Ghadir Radar systems in great numbers, adding that the radar system covers areas over 1,000km in distance. The Ghadir radar system which covers areas (maximum) 1,100km in distance and 300km in altitude has been designed and built to identify aerial targets, radar-evading aircrafts, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles as well as low-altitude satellites.